occur
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
-
to happen; take place; come about
-
to be found or be present; exist
-
(foll by to) to be realized or thought of (by); suggest itself (to)
Usage
It is usually regarded as incorrect to talk of pre-arranged events occurring or happening : the wedding took place (not occurred or happened ) in the afternoon
Related Words
See happen.
Other Word Forms
- preoccur verb (used without object)
- reoccur verb (used without object)
- unoccurring adjective
Etymology
Origin of occur
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin occurrere “to run to meet, arrive, meet,” equivalent to oc- oc- + currere “to run”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The total eclipse will occur from 12:37 a.m. to 6:25 a.m. on Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times
The Hennepin County Attorney’s office in Minnesota is investigating more than a dozen incidents involving federal immigration officials that occurred during an enforcement surge targeting the Twin Cities.
A bullish golden cross occurred a few weeks ago when the 50-week moving average crossed above the 200-week simple moving average.
From Barron's
Never, not in my wildest of wild dreams, had that possibility ever occurred to me.
From Literature
"But now there is evidence from both direct observations and also from strandings data, that it also occurs between grey seals and harbour porpoises, and common dolphins," said Langley.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
